Democrat Ted Strickland is leading two possible Republican candidates in the race to become Ohio's next Governor in the first
Rasmussen Poll. Strickland leads infamous rethug Ken Blackwell by a 42% to 36% margin while Strickland leads former Congressman John Kasich 39% to 33%.
Strickland (D) 42%
Blackwell (R) 36%
and
Strickland (D) 39%
Kasich (R) 33%
lot more below the fold..
Note that John Kasich has not announced and is very unlikely to run. The poll did not include the other democrat, Columbus mayor Mike Coleman in the matchup. On the republican side there are two other candidates - attorney general Jim Petro and auditor Betty Montgomery. The GOP primary is expected to ne nasty. Petro is already running TV attack ads against rethug Blackwell.
Here is another diary written by someone introducing Ted Strickland. In short Strickland is fiscally conservative and socially progressive. He was against Iraq war, against congressional pay raises, is paying for his own health insurance since elected.
Overall Ted Strickland will be a very strong candidate for Democrats. As I wrote earlier Strickland will beat Blackwell with ease. I think that Blackwell is over-hyped and has a no chance in the current environment against someone like Ted Strickland who brings so many advantages like..
- Strickland has a great resume as compared to any rethug opponent.
- Republican party in Ohio is immersed in corruption and pay-to-play culture.
- None of the rethug candidate will be able to run away from criminally convicted current rethug governor Bob Taft whose approval ratings are 15% to 19% range.
- Strickland is from Southern part of the state which usually votes republican heavily. Being well known and popular Strickland will be able to split the republican base.
- The traditional democratic North-Eastern part of the state from Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland, Toledo will give huge margins to any competitive democratic candidate.
- Strickland has been a Methodist minister, psychologist, professor and economically conservative but socially progressive.
- Being african american Ken Blackwell will have a very tough time winning rural and suburban white GOPers.
Overall this is a good news for Ohio democrats since Paul Hackett is also leading Mike DeWine in senate poll reported by Kos
here. If Paul Hackett wins the nomination for senate then it will be a great pair in Strickland and Hackett.. and should sweep the state. Ohio is looking for a breath of fresh air which Hackett and Strickland will bring.
I feel that the loss of Reform Ohio issues won't have any impact on 2006. The issues lost because of different reasons as noted in the comments here.
Updated to add favorable ratings..
Strickland has 40% to 21% favorable ratings while Blackwell's are 42% to 39%.